New Regulation on Temporary Rentals in Barcelona and Catalonia: A Guide for Landlords and Tenants

In December 2025, the Parliament of Catalonia approved a law introducing significant changes to the regulation of temporary rental contracts, room rentals, and other leasing arrangements in Barcelona and across Catalonia.

1. What Is This New Temporary Rental Law?

This is a regional regulation that reforms rental legislation in Catalonia and includes, among other measures:

• Regulation of temporary and seasonal rental contracts

• Rules governing room-by-room rentals

• Creation of a Registry of Large Property Owners

• Strengthened administrative oversight and control mechanisms

This regulation only applies within Catalonia. In the rest of Spain, national housing laws remain in force.

2. Key Points of the New Regulation

The new regulation is based on the principle that any rental contract may be presumed to be a permanent residence unless proven otherwise. For this reason, when a lease is classified as “temporary,” there must be a real, justified, and documented reason supporting its temporary nature.

The law distinguishes between two main types of temporary rentals:

Temporary Rentals for Tourism or Leisure Purposes

This type of lease is classified as a non-residential rental agreement. To be valid, the contract must:

✔ Clearly state that the rental is for tourism or leisure

✔ Include documentation proving the temporary purpose

✔ Specify the tenant’s permanent residence

✔ Deposit the security deposit and supporting documentation with INCASÒL (Catalan Land Institute)

Temporary Rentals for Work, Studies, or Medical Reasons

When the temporary rental is linked to professional, academic, or medical reasons, the contract remains temporary, but several rules applicable to residential leases also apply, particularly regarding:

✔ Security deposits and guarantees✔ Rent calculation and updates✔ Expenses and property improvements✔ Supporting documentation (employment contract, university enrollment, medical report, etc.)

👉 If the temporary reason cannot be properly justified, the law allows the contract to be treated as a primary residence lease, with all the legal rights and obligations that this entails.

3. What Happens to Existing Contracts?

One of the main concerns among property owners is how this law will affect temporary rental contracts that are already in force when the regulation comes into effect.

🔹 Contracts signed before the law enters into force remain valid under their original terms, including the agreed rent.🔹 The law has no retroactive effect, meaning it does not alter or invalidate previously signed agreements.

✅ However, if a contract is renewed or a new agreement is signed with the same tenant, the temporary cause must be justified again to prevent the lease from being considered a permanent residence contract.

4.  How Does This Affect Rent Prices?

For temporary rentals related to work, studies, or medical reasons in designated high-demand (stressed) residential areas—such as Barcelona—the law establishes that rent amounts and rent updates must follow the same rules as residential leases.

This means that:

✔ Landlords do not have complete freedom to set rental prices

✔ In many cases, rent caps or reference price indices apply

✔ If the landlord is classified as a large property owner, rent must strictly comply with the applicable reference index

Room Rentals

For the first time, Catalan legislation explicitly regulates room-by-room rental agreements. Key new provisions include:

✔ Minimum surface area requirements per occupant

✔ Maximum occupancy limits

✔ Price caps for the total rent in properties located in high-demand residential areas

✔ Possible administrative penalties for non-compliance

Conclusion:

The new temporary rental law in Catalonia does not prohibit temporary leases, but it significantly strengthens documentation requirements and administrative control, ensuring that temporary rentals are genuine and properly justified.

🔹 Key takeaway for landlords: existing contracts are not affected.

🔹 Key takeaway for future contracts: landlords must clearly document and justify the temporary nature of the rental to avoid the contract being legally treated as a permanent residence lease, with all the associated legal implications.